From: DaisyTheClown123@aol.com
Date: Thu, 15 Feb 2001 20:43:21 EST
Subject: Advice on building a routine~Thanks!
To: Msmatchtheclown@aol.com, Balloon@balloonhq.com, clowns@yahoogroups.com

Here is a reply for all the folks who have been offering so much wonderful  
advice to me on building a routine.  Thanks for all the great ideas!  Here 
are answers to some of the burning questions my helpful friends have been 
asking:
No, I don't really have any magic tricks.  I have some ideas from books on 
joke "magic" but I don't have any gimmicked props at this point.  I do not 
have much or any money to invest either, as I just spent all my money on a 
new costume.  That's why I need routines with balloons or props I can make.
I do not have a change bag but I want to get one when I can afford it.  There 
is no magic shop near me that I know of.  I am in North Idaho, Coeur d' Alene 
area.  About 1 hour from Spokane, Washington.  The silly gags I know of all 
came from books as I am not experienced enough at this point to think up many 
of my own.  I do not even own most of the books they came from, I got them 
from the library or thru interlibrary loan.  A few examples are the balloon 
William Tell routine, gags and bits about having kids or parents try to blow 
up and/ or twist the balloons, the balloon trick dog routine, various kinds 
of balloon blowing contests, a few other balloon bits from the Balloon HQ 
Guide to Balloons and other sources, the surprise happy birthday banner from 
The Birthday Party Business (Interlibrary loan...had it in January), various 
balloon games to play with the kids, etc..  As you can see I don't have too 
much to work with at this point.  One problem I have been facing is that many 
of the books and advice seem to assume that you know the basics of patter, 
etc., and I don't.  As a result people describe a routine in a line or two 
and guess that I'll get the idea.  Often I don't.  I have never seen a clown 
birthday routine, ever.  I have done a lot of acting and drama and really 
enjoy it, but I am used to having a script to memorize.  Give me a script and 
I'll ham it up and ad-lib and have a great time, but I need a script to start 
with.  I'm just not that good with being spontaneous.  Anyway, I thank you 
all for your help and ideas and keep them coming!  :o)  I need all the help I 
can get!  I am so grateful for you all!
By the way, I'm almost finished sewing my new costume!  I'll be finished by 
tomorrow evening...at least I'd better be because I have a face painting gig 
at a birthday party!  Soon I'll have a picture of me on my website!
Keep Spreadin' Smiles!
      *Daisy*
Robin McKerracher
Coeur d' Alene, Idaho
See my website at www.daisytheclown.homestead.com!